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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · last · bear · deal · pitch · lash · leaves · lean

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. last — final
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pitch — completely
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bear — the animal
  17. last — finally
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lean — thin
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. last — to go on
  24. lean — to bend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com